Former Players welcomed to the Ricoh: Legends Day 2009
Legends of 50s & 60s
Fourteen years (almost to the day) before we celebrated Legends Day 2022 on this day three seasons ago (21st March), in 2009 the Sky Blues played their first ever Legends Day game (as always facilitated by CCFPA)! Chris Coleman‘s team were having a particularly unproductive period in the lower reaches of the (Coca Cola) Championship at this time. They had suffered four straight defeats including a F.A. Cup quarter final reverse at the Ricoh to Chelsea.
Legends of 80s & 90s
So, today’s 1-0 defeat of Doncaster Rovers, in a twice rearranged game, was very welcome and provided revenge for their defeat by the same score in Yorkshire at the end of August.
David Bell in the Sky Blue
It took a wonderful long range effort from fifty yards, later voted goal of the season, from fairly recent CCFPA recruit David Bell to separate the sides. There was a crowd of 18,498 in the Ricoh (including 1,465 from ‘Donny’) watching the contest.
The winner was a fitting goal for a game which the Association and the club had designated as Legends Day 2009 (and Founders Day) so there were plenty of CCFC Former Players there to see the game and meet the fans and each other. Sadly several of these players have since passed away but, for example, Bill Tedds, Dietmar Bruck, Chris Cattlin, Dennis Mortimer, Paul Culpin, Kirk Stephens and Dave Bennett of those pictured back in 2009 (left and right) were at LD22 and LD23 as well! Sadly ‘Belly’ was due to come to LD22 but withdrew at the last minute.
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A contemporary matchday report from BBC Sport (including comments from both managers) can be found here. Thanks to former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson you can see the goal again by clicking on the link or image below:-
Chris Coleman- Sky Blue Gaffer
For the record the Sky Blues lined up (CCFPA members underlined):-
Keiren Westwood, Stephen Wright, Marcus Hall, Ben Turner, Scott Dann, Guillaume Beuzelin (sub. Isaac Osbourne -79), Jordan Henderson (sub. Robbie Simpson -85), Aron Gunnarsson, Clinton Morrison, Freddy Eastwood (sub. Leon Best-62) and David Bell
Unused subs:- Elliott Wardand Andy Marshall (gk)
Interestingly, just this week in 2025 Jordan has been called up once more to England’s squad!
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Sean O’Driscoll‘s Donny side took to the field as follows:-
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Marcus Hall on the front of the Sky Blue programme
Neil Sullivan, Mark Wilson (sub. Waide Fairhurst -84), Gareth Roberts (sub. Sam Hird -89), Martin Woods, Matt Mills, James Chambers, Richie Wellens, John Spicer, Dean Shiels, Paul Heffernan (sub. James Hayter -74) and Adam Lockwood Unused subs:- Jos van Nieuwstadt and James O’Connor Referee: Richard Beeby (Northants)
Matty Mills, on loan at Doncaster had also played a handful of games on loan with the Sky Blues at Highfield Road in 2004.
The Sky Blues under Chris Coleman ended up in seventeenth spot in the Championship five positions and eight points above the relegated teams, Norwich City, Southampton and (bottom) Charlton Athletic. Donny were only three positions and four points better off but it was a pretty nondescript finish for both clubs.
Midlands pair Wolverhampton Wanderers (champs by seven points) and runners up Birmingham City went up along with fifth placed Burnley who also made it via the play-offs.
CCFC 2008-09
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young (& Dean Nelson) for sourcing the images.
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